Question 1What did you think was the easier softer way prior to this point?

Question 2What do you think the easier softer way is today?

Question 3How much earnestness do you have at your command today?

Question 4Using Stephanie’s weight-lifting analogy…Are you beginning in earnestness? Are you willing to use a 2lb weight or 4 or 6, 8, or 10? Where are you in your earnestness to get well?“At some of these we balked.”

Question 5What are you balking at still?

Question 6 “Remember we deal with”…..(fill in the blank with your problem areas)“…cunning, baffling, powerful! Without help it is too much for us.”

2) How’s our self will? a) Are you lined up with your program? Do you have accountability? b) Are you being 100% honest with 100% of your life today? c) Have I been selfish today?

Look up: balked

3) Write down “I have witnessed your accountability”

4) Make a list of all your accountability partners a) write about (yes or no) if you’ve been honest b) or that you are 100% honest, write next to both your story.

5 What are you balking at? a) “no judgment” aft they pray for the willingness to stop balking b) When was the first time you opened the door and let someone in, and you stopped. Write about where you are balking and let them in.Stephanie says let us not live in a lie of omission, opening up will help you with your fourth step. Let the spirit of the faith flow through you, push fear out and let God inWrite Fear — “False Evidence Appearing Real” verses the new fear replaced by fear is the new acronym “Face Everything and Recover”

6) Write about: You’re as sick as your secrets.

7) Write about: Can you be 100% honest with your buddy or buddy group. Do you feel vulnerable to reach out and get another buddy?

8) A) Will you pray for the willingness to get a buddy if you don’t have one B) and if you have one will you be willing to get a second buddy.​Stephanie says don’t take yourself so seriously but take your program seriously.

(week 89) September 12, 2013How It Works p.58: first two paragraphs from: ‘Rarely have we seen a person…’ until ‘…you are ready to take certain steps.’

Soul work

Look up: scrupulous, honest.

Question 1Where are you on the continuum of honesty?

Write:‘ My story is one of the best tools.’Question 2Write about that and wax poetic about it. Tell your story in your words.

Write:‘I am very important to the world at large and to my 12th step fellowship.’Question 3Write about this. Write about your struggle.

Write:‘Stephanie is one among many. I can learn from her and that’s it.’ You cannot get someone else’s recovery or jump on their back.Question 4Is there anyone that you have made too important in your life? Is there anyone that you have put on a pedestal? Write about it.

As the Big Book says“…either God is everything or else He is nothing.” Pg 53 ¶ 2

Question 5You need a 2, 5, 10, 20 min story before our last meeting. You need to write it out.a) What we’re like in the addictionb) What we were like when we hit rock bottomc) What we are like nowIf you have decided you want what we have and are willing to go to any length to get it – then you are ready to take certain steps. Underline this sentence.

Question 6As a basic outline write about the lengths you were willing to go to:a) when you first came inb) at six monthsc) at five yearsd) and now.(If you went out and relapsed or left the program then the timetable will be different).

TIME = Things I Must Experience

NUTS = Not Using The StepsStephanie loves acronyms. If you have any send them to her: stephaniew324@gmail.com​Question 7Underline the sentence, “if you have decided you want what we have and are willing to go to any length to get it – then you are ready to take certain steps”. Write about it.

​(Week 88) September 5, 2013 12-Step Big Book Study WorkshopChapter 5 How It Works page 58 from start of 1st paragraph: ‘Rarely have we seen a person fail…’ until end of 2nd paragraph ‘… then you are ready to take certain steps.’Look up: rigorous, incapable, constitutionally‘Rarely have we seen a person fail who has thoroughly followed our path. Those who do not recovery are people who cannot or will not completely give themselves to this simple program, usually men and women who are constitutionally incapable of being honest with themselves.’Beside this passage write: This is not a cop out.Question 1Are you using “constitutionally incapable” as an excuse for:a) not being sober?b) being sober and not being honest about the areas?Question 2Are you unwilling to look at certain areas of your life?Write these down and beside each one write: ‘I accept that for today I am unwilling to look.’Underneath write:Dear Higher Power/God, Today I am unwilling. I ask You to give me the willingness to be willing. Amen.Their chances are less than average.Beside these words write: It does not say ‘zero’Question 3Are you on medication for an emotional and mental disorder?a) Do you feel guilt and/or shame?b) Have you been pushed, pulled, prodded or ‘guilted’ by those in the program? After praying about it, write about whether you are truly sober if using medication.c) If using medication, take your heartfelt answer to your professional and talk about it as they can explain about chemical imbalance. And look at the possibility to come off them if you want this.Question 4Realistically where are you today with your capacity to be honest?a) Do you have the attitude that where I am today is exactly where I am supposed to be?b) If you don’t have that attitude, why not?Question 5Read and re-read the first two paragraphs on page 58. Then write about them and share with your buddy.Question 6If you are being given the same questions and not answering them differently ask yourself why. (There is no right or wrong answer).

Our live phone meetings are every Thursday at 8:00 AM EST. The phone number for these live meetings is (712) 775-7031, and the meeting ID number is 714744988#.

Please send donations to support the website to:

Stephanie Whiting P O Box 531 North Pembroke MA 02358

You can listen to our recorded meetings at (641) 715-3900, pin 95666# for our Thursday Big Book Step Study workshop. You can also hear our Tuesday Big Book Study recordings at (641) 715-3900, pin 298913#. These meetings can be accessed at any time.